Magnetic pin tumbler lock

ABSTRACT

A pin tumbler-type lock in which the pin tumblers are movable by a magnetic key into at least two and usually three different positions in each of their aligned apertures between the two parts which are to be locked and unlocked. Only one position for each of the tumblers is its unlocking position. Spring means are provided in either or both parts for moving a tumbler which may be composed of one or two aligned tumbler pins, respectively, into one of the positions, and separate magnetic means are aligned with each of the pin tumblers which means may include a magnet or a magnetizable material. The magnetic key means is employed for attracting, repelling, or not affecting each of the tumblers through its magnetizable means for placing each of the tumblers into its unlocking position. The only difference between the tumblers, if any at all, is in the length of one of the pins thereof, namely, long, medium, or short corresponding to the attracted, repelled or nonaffected positions of its corresponding magnet in the key.

United States Patent Van Dalen 1 Feb. 15, 1972 [54] MAGNETIC PIN TUMBLER LOCK FOREIGN PATENTS 0R APPLICATIONS [72] Inventor: Christiaan Johannes Van Dalen, Voor- 1,036,702 8/1958 Germany ..70/4l3 burg, Netherlands Primary Examiner-Albert G. Craig, Jr. [73] Assrgnee: De Staat Der Nederlanden, Ten Deu Vermmmey Hugh Adam Kirk tegenwoordigd Door De Direeteur-General Der Posterijen, Telegrafie En Teletonie, [57] ABSTRACT The Hague, Netherlands A pm tumbler-type lock in WhlCh the pin tumblers are mova- Filedl Dec. 22, 1969 ble by a magnetic key into at least two and usually three different positions in each of their aligned apertures between the [21] Appl 886895 two parts which are to be locked and unlocked. Only one position for each of the tumblers is its unlocking position. Spring [30 Foreign Application p i i D means are provided in either or both parts for moving a tumbler which may be composed of one or two aligned tumbler Dc- 23, Netherlands ..6,8 l respectively into one of the positions and separate magnetic means are aligned with each of the pin tumblers which [52] US. Cl. ..70/276, 70/378 means may include a magnet or a magnetizable material. The [51] magnetic key means is employed for attracting, repelling, or [58] Field otSem-ch ..70/276,413, 378, 364, 352 not aff ing a h f h ler h gh i magnetizable means for placing each of the tumblers into its unlocking posi- 5 References Cited tion. The only difference between the tumblers, if any at all, is in the length of one of the pins thereof, namely, long, medium, UNITED STATES PATENTS or short corresponding to the attracted, repelled or nonaf- 1 ,172,203 2/ 1 916 Fuller ..70/276 famed posmons correspond magma m the 3,518,855 7/1970 Wake ..70/4l3 X 21 Claims, 15 Drawing Figures PATENTED FEB 1 5 I972 SHEET 1 [IF 2 INVENTOR. C. J. VAN DALEN ATTORNEY PATENTEUFEB 15 I972 SHEET 2 BF 2 IN VENTOR, C. J. VAN DALEN I ATTORNEY MAGNETIC PIN TUMBLER LOCK RELATED APPLICATIONS:

Priority Netherlands application Ser. No. 6,818,494 filed Dec.23, 1968.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION More specifically each one of the pin tumblers in the lock of this invention comprises, in one of the locks two relatively movable parts, a tumbler pin which may be any one of three different lengths and a magnetizable material which may comprise a separate magnet located on the tumbler pin or the whole pin may comprise magnetizable material. In the other relatively movable part there may be a separate supplementary tumbler pin which cooperates with the first tumbler pin in the first part and is pressed against the first pin by means of a spring which is weaker than any spring means that would be employed in the first part. Usually there is a stronger spring means in the first part which urges the first tumbler pin and/or the magnetizable material or magnet associated therewith towards a predetermined position. This stronger spring means is either unaffected by the repelling force of a magnetic key which only moves its tumbler pin away, or no magnetic force at all placed in alignment with that particular tumbler which moves nothing; or this stronger spring is compressed and its tumbler pin is attracted by the attracting force of a magnet in the key. Thus each pin tumbler can be moved into any one of three different positions, only one of which positions being its unlocked position, in which no tumbler pins project through the joint between the aligned apertures in the two relatively movable parts. Thus, by using a medium length tumbler pin the unlocking position is when no magnet in the key is associated therewith. If a longer tumbler pin is employed, an attractive magnet in the key is required to remove it from its projection into the second part and into its unlocking position; and if a shorter tumbler pin is employed a repelling force by the magnet in the key is required to move this shorter pin and its supplementary pin in the other part out of the joint between the two movable parts into unlocking position.

Accordingly with a plurality of tumbler pins in which any pin may be placed in any one of three different positions and any pin also may have any one of the three different lengths, a large variety of combinations may be set up, with a larger variety occurring with a large number of tumbler pins.

If a smaller number of possible different combinations is sufficient, then only two of the three different positions may be used. For example, the magnet associated with the tumbler pin is only either attracted or repelled; or a magnetizable material may be used for the tumbler pin so that either the north or the south pole of the magnet in the key will move the pin or attract it from one of its two positions to the other.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE VIEWS The above-mentioned and other features, objects and advantages and the manner of attaining them are described more specifically below by reference to embodiments of this invention shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGS. 3a, 3b and 3c illustrate the use of the short tumbler aFIG. 3b shows the unlocking position, whereas FIGS. 3a and 3c show different positions;

FIGS. 4a and 4b disclose another embodiment of this invention wherein one tumbler pin is made of a magnetizable material and the tumbler is only movable into two different positions;

FIGS. 50 and 5b disclose still another embodiment of this invention wherein only one spring means is employed in the first lock part for urging only one tumbler pin, which pin also has only two different positions; and

FIGS. 60 and 6b disclose a still further embodiment in which the tumbler pins also have only two different positions and only one spring is employed, but with two aligned tumbler pins and the spring being in the second part with the second or supplementary tumbler pin.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIGS. la, lb, and 1c illustrate the use of the medium-sized locking tumbler a; FIG. la shows the unlocking position, whereas different locking positions are shown in FIGS. Ib and 1c;

FIGS. 2a, 2b, and 2c illustrate the use of the long locking tumbler a; FIG. 2b shows the unlocking position, whereas FIGS. 2a and 20 show different locking positions;

First description will be given of the three groups of locking units shown in FIGS. 1a through 30.

In these groups the reference letters designate component parts as follows:

.rkey magnet pieces.

A-fixed part of the lock having a two stepped or doubleshouldered aperture for a tumbler pin.

Bpart of the lock which, in the unlocking position, is

movable with respect to part A.

V-locking magnets.

vl-spring which presses a metal plate d against the upper shoulder in the recess in part A, thus fixing the normal position of the locking magnet V.

a, a and a"the three different lengths: medium, long, and short, respectively; for the headed pin tumbler which is limited by the second shoulder in the recess in part A.

bsupplementary pin tumbler.

v2spring, weaker than spring vl, which pushes against the supplementary tumbler pin b.

Three types of pin-tumblers a, a, and a" are used in these FIGS. 1a through 30, namely: the long type (FIGS. 2), the medium-sized type (FIGS. 1), and the short type (FIGS. 3). The three different lengths of pin-tumbler a, a and a", determine the character of the lock unit.

In FIG. 1a the springs fix the locking magnet V in the middle one of three possible positions. The pin of the headed tumbler pin a is just long enough so that relatively movable parts A and B can move freely with respect to each other. A key magnets placed opposite the locking unit, as shown in FIGS. 1b and 1c will lock the parts A and B with respect to each other, regardless of the polarity of the key magnet. This locking is effected either by the headed pin a of the tumbler (FIG. lb) or by the supplementary tumbler pin b (FIG. 10). Consequently, the key must not contain a magnet at the key position corresponding to a locking unit of this type if the parts A and B are to be relatively moved.

In FIGS. 2a, 2b, and 2c the pin of the headed tumbler a is so long that part A can only be unlocked with respect to part B, if the locking magnet 2 is attracted as shown in FIG. 2b. If the locking magnet V is repelled or if there is no key magnets at the corresponding place in the key, the headed tumbler-pin a will lock part A with respect to part B.

In FIGS. 3a, 3b and, 3c the pin of the headed tumbler a" is so short that part A can only be unlocked with respect to part B, if the locking magnet 2 is repelled as shown in FIG. 3b. If the locking magnet V is attracted (see FIG. 3c), or if there is no key magnets at the corresponding place in the key (see FIG. 3a) the supplementary pin b will lock part A with respect to part B.

As the character of the locking unit is only determined by the type of tumbler a, a, or a" used, all the magnets locking magnets V, when mounted in the lock part A, are placed with like poles to one and the same side.

It can further be seen from the figures that the upper spring v1 is enclosed in a box-shaped space having a loose bottom d, so that its normal position is fixed against the upper shoulder in the aperture in part A. Further in the embodiment shown, the pressure of the spring v1 must be larger than that of the spring v2.

According to the invention it is also possible, in certain cases, to replace the headed tumbler pin a, a, or a", and the locking magnet V by one piece a of a magnetizable material as shown in FIGS. 4a and 4b. In certain other cases the spring pressure v1 or v2 can be located in one part A or in the other part B as shown in FIGS. 50 and 5b or 6a and 6b, respectively. Thus it is possible to leave out the supplementary part b of the tumbler and its spring v2 as shown in H65. 50 and 5b or to fasten this part b to the bottom of the tumbler recess in movable part B (not shown). While in the embodiment shown in F [65. 6a and 6b, the spring v1 in part A is omitted and only the spring v2 in part B is used. These tumblers a" and a can be made of magnetizable as well as of nonmagnetizable material. While there is described above the observed principles of this invention in connection with specific apparatus, it is to be clearly understood that there may be many unobserved side effects which contribute substantially to the efficiency of this device, and that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation to the scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. A tumbler lock for preventing the relative movement between two adjacent parts, comprising:

a. a plurality of pin tumblers, each longitudinally movable in aligned apertures in said parts into at least two predetermined difi'erent positions when said parts are in their locking position, each aperture in one of said parts having a shoulder, said tumblers having at least two predetermined different lengths and one of said tumblers in each aperture having a head directly engageable with said shoulder for limiting its movement toward the adjacent movable surfaces between said parts,

b. separate spring means for urging each of said tumblers into one of its predetermined positions,

c. separate permanent magnetic means aligned and movable with each of said tumblers, and

magnetic key means having separate magnets corresponding to each of said pin means for moving all of said pin means into their unlocking positions.

2. A lock according to claim 1 wherein each of said tumblers comprise a pair of pins, one in each of said parts, and wherein said unlocking position is the position in which the joint between said pair of tumbler pins is aligned with the joint between said two parts.

3. A lock according to claim 2 wherein said spring means comprises separate springs in each part urging each of said two tumbler pins toward each other, and one of said spring means is stronger than the other.

4. A lock according to claim 1 wherein said magnets associated with each tumbler in said lock have their like poles all pointing in the same direction.

5. A lock according to claim 1 wherein said one part has another shoulder and said spring means includes a spring for resisting the movement of said headed pin beyond said other shoulder.

6. A lock according to claim 1 wherein said key means comprises magnets corresponding with at least some of the positions of the tumbler pins, which magnets have both north and south poles and are positioned in said key means either opposing or attracting said magnetizable means associated with each tumbler pin.

7. A lock according to claim 1 in which said tumbler pins have three predetermined lengths, namely: long, medium and short.

8. A lock according to claim 7 wherein said medium length pin is in its unlocked position when no magnet in said key means is aligned with its magnetizable means.

9. A lock according to claim 7 wherein said long pin is in its unlocked position when said magnet in said key means attracts its magnetizable means.

10. A lock according to claim 7 wherein said short pin is in its unlocked position when said magnet in said key means repels its magnetizable means.

11. A lock according to claim 1 wherein said permanent magnets are spaced from the adjacent movable surfaces between said parts.

12. A tumbler lock for preventing the relative movement between two adjacent parts comprising:

a. a plurality of pin tumblers, each longitudinally movable in aligned apertures in said parts into at least two predetermined different positions, one of said positions providing an unlocking of said parts, said tumblers comprising at least two pins, one pin being associated with each of said parts, and said tumblers having at least two predetermined different lengths,

b. separate spring means for holding the pins in each of said tumblers into cooperative action and urging each of said tumblers into one of its predetermined positions,

c. separate permanent magnets associated with each tumbler and aligned and movable in each of said aligned apertures as a pin with said other two pins, and

d. magnetic key means having separate magnets corresponding to said tumblers for moving said tumblers into their unlocking positions, wherein said unlocking position is the position in which the joint between said two pins is aligned with the joint between said two parts.

13. A lock according to claim 12 wherein said spring means comprises separate springs in each part urging each of said two pins toward each other, and one of said spring means being stronger than the other.

14. A lock according to claim 12 wherein said permanent magnets associated with each tumbler in said lock have their like poles all pointing in the same direction.

15. A lock according to claim 12 wherein one of said two pins has a head thereon and its aperture in its part has a shoulder for limiting the movement of said one pin.

16. A lock according to claim 15 wherein said part with said shoulder has another shoulder and said spring means includes a spring for resisting the movement of said headed pin beyond said other shoulder.

17. A lock according to claim 12 wherein said key means comprises magnets corresponding with at least some of the positions of the tumbler pins, which magnets are positioned in said key means either opposing or attracting said permanent magnets associated with each tumbler.

18. A lock according to claim 12 in which said tumbler pins have three predetermined lengths, namely: long, medium and short.

19. A lock according to claim 18 wherein said medium length pin is in its unlocked position when no magnet in said key means is aligned with its permanent magnet.

20. A lock according to claim 18 wherein said long pin is in its unlocked position when said magnet in said key means attracts its permanent magnet.

21 A lock according to claim 18 wherein said short pin is in its unlocked position when said magnet in said key means repels its permanent magnet.

"qg g UNITED STATES PATENT oi ricn CERTIFICATE OF CDRREEIIGN Patent No. 3,641, 793 Dated February 15, 1972 Invent C. J. Van DALEN It is certified that error appears in the aboveidentified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 59, the two paragraphs in column 2 beginning on line 4 and ending on line 10, should be read in Column 1, between lines 59 and 60 instead of after the subtitle DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS; line 61 "e" at the beginning of the line should read a" and should be spaced from "Fig. 3b"; line 62, sho ld read locking Column 2, line 12" should be deleted; line 38 "magnets' should read magnet s line 50, "2" should read V line 51, "magnets"shouldread magnet s line 56, "2" should read V line 58, "magnets" should read magnet-s line 62, "magnets" should be deleted; line 66, after "bottom" insert plate line 74, the sentence beginning 'In certain other cases should begin a paragraph. Column 3,

line 7 a'"' and a'" should read and respectively;

line 9, the sentence beginning "While there is'described should begin a paragraph; line 33, before 'i nagnet" insert d.

Signed and sealed this 16th day of July 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FIETGHER,JR ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. A tumbler lock for preventing the relative movement between two adjacent parts, comprising: a. a plurality of pin tumblers, each longitudinally movable in aligned apertures in said parts into at least two predetermined different positions when said parts are in their locking position, each aperture in one of said parts having a shoulder, said tumblers having at least two predetermined different lengths and one of said tumblers in each aperture having a head directly engageable with said shoulder for limiting its movement toward the adjacent movable surfaces between said parts, b. separate spring means for urging each of said tumblers into one of its predetermined positions, c. separate permanent magnetic means aligned and movable with each of said tumblers, and magnetic key means having separate magnets corresponding to each of said pin means for moving all of said pin means into their unlockIng positions.
 2. A lock according to claim 1 wherein each of said tumblers comprise a pair of pins, one in each of said parts, and wherein said unlocking position is the position in which the joint between said pair of tumbler pins is aligned with the joint between said two parts.
 3. A lock according to claim 2 wherein said spring means comprises separate springs in each part urging each of said two tumbler pins toward each other, and one of said spring means is stronger than the other.
 4. A lock according to claim 1 wherein said magnets associated with each tumbler in said lock have their like poles all pointing in the same direction.
 5. A lock according to claim 1 wherein said one part has another shoulder and said spring means includes a spring for resisting the movement of said headed pin beyond said other shoulder.
 6. A lock according to claim 1 wherein said key means comprises magnets corresponding with at least some of the positions of the tumbler pins, which magnets have both north and south poles and are positioned in said key means either opposing or attracting said magnetizable means associated with each tumbler pin.
 7. A lock according to claim 1 in which said tumbler pins have three predetermined lengths, namely: long, medium and short.
 8. A lock according to claim 7 wherein said medium length pin is in its unlocked position when no magnet in said key means is aligned with its magnetizable means.
 9. A lock according to claim 7 wherein said long pin is in its unlocked position when said magnet in said key means attracts its magnetizable means.
 10. A lock according to claim 7 wherein said short pin is in its unlocked position when said magnet in said key means repels its magnetizable means.
 11. A lock according to claim 1 wherein said permanent magnets are spaced from the adjacent movable surfaces between said parts.
 12. A tumbler lock for preventing the relative movement between two adjacent parts comprising: a. a plurality of pin tumblers, each longitudinally movable in aligned apertures in said parts into at least two predetermined different positions, one of said positions providing an unlocking of said parts, said tumblers comprising at least two pins, one pin being associated with each of said parts, and said tumblers having at least two predetermined different lengths, b. separate spring means for holding the pins in each of said tumblers into cooperative action and urging each of said tumblers into one of its predetermined positions, c. separate permanent magnets associated with each tumbler and aligned and movable in each of said aligned apertures as a pin with said other two pins, and d. magnetic key means having separate magnets corresponding to said tumblers for moving said tumblers into their unlocking positions, wherein said unlocking position is the position in which the joint between said two pins is aligned with the joint between said two parts.
 13. A lock according to claim 12 wherein said spring means comprises separate springs in each part urging each of said two pins toward each other, and one of said spring means being stronger than the other.
 14. A lock according to claim 12 wherein said permanent magnets associated with each tumbler in said lock have their like poles all pointing in the same direction.
 15. A lock according to claim 12 wherein one of said two pins has a head thereon and its aperture in its part has a shoulder for limiting the movement of said one pin.
 16. A lock according to claim 15 wherein said part with said shoulder has another shoulder and said spring means includes a spring for resisting the movement of said headed pin beyond said other shoulder.
 17. A lock according to claim 12 wherein said key means comprises magnets corresponding with at least some of the positions of the tumbler pins, which magnets are positioned in said key means either opposing or attracting said permanent magnets associated with each tumbler.
 18. A lock according to claim 12 in which said tumbler pins have three predetermined lengths, namely: long, medium and short.
 19. A lock according to claim 18 wherein said medium length pin is in its unlocked position when no magnet in said key means is aligned with its permanent magnet.
 20. A lock according to claim 18 wherein said long pin is in its unlocked position when said magnet in said key means attracts its permanent magnet. 21 A lock according to claim 18 wherein said short pin is in its unlocked position when said magnet in said key means repels its permanent magnet. 